Takaani

By Amy Pilkington

A scream breaks the silence of the midnight hour, and the blood of an innocent child is spilled. 

The small Alaskan village of Kashega is terrorized when a beast on a murderous rampage slaughters their sleeping children. The distraught villagers know nothing of the creature, nor how to stop it, and they are desperate for answers. 

An injured Eskimo hunter seeks shelter in the town, and his knowledge of the beast is their only chance for survival. The townspeople must somehow stop the slayings and restore peace before it destroys the entire village.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Amy Pilkington
• Release date: May 5, 2016
• ISBN: 9781386406181

Amy Pilkington

Amy Pilkington is a mother of four who lives in Tennessee with her husband, children, and two dogs. She enjoys camping, photography, reading, and spoiling her adorable granddaughter.  Pilkington aspires to be a beach bum when she grows up.  Follow me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/PilkingtonPublishing and http://www.facebook.com/granthegreat My blog: http://www.granthegreat.com

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Takaani

by Amy Pilkington

Published by Amy Pilkington

Copyright © 2016 Amy Pilkington

All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

This is a work of fiction, Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by trademark owners.

1 Oki Thunder

Acold wind whistled through the trees and whipped at their backs as the team trudged through the dense forest. Oki’s heavy furs were no match for the bitter cold while they hurried down the narrow path. His thick fingers held the reins tight as the twisting turns rocked the sled from side to side. The dogs navigated the trail through the barren trees, paying no mind to the setting sun falling beneath the horizon. It seemed as if they had been traveling for months, but it had only been a little more than a week. Storm after storm had made the trek more difficult, and now the snow was getting deeper by the minute. The sky was aglow with glorious color, but daylight was slipping away. Oki knew he needed to find a place to escape the storm.

An ear-piercing howl rang out not far behind the group, causing him to tug the reins. Something terrible was coming. He stopped the team of huskies and scanned the forest. The worsening storm would soon make it impossible to navigate the trails in the dark, and he knew they were not alone in the woods. Just beyond the ridge, he spotted a row of caverns in the side of the mountain. The weary Eskimo directed the team toward the caves and found one large enough to accommodate the dogs and his sled. The dogs pulled at the gang line and inched forward. Oki pushed the sled into the back of the cave and unhooked the tired pups so they could settle inside out of the blistering wind.

There was a large pine branch nearby to cover the cave’s opening and keep out the wind and snow through the night. He pulled it over the opening, leaving just enough room to slip inside with firewood. The deep snowfall hid any felled limbs that might be on the ground. He looked above and eyed a dead limb dangling in the trees. It would provide enough wood for a small fire. Oki tugged on the limb and brought it crashing down at his feet. He used one foot to hold it steady as he broke it into smaller pieces, then took as much as he could carry into the cave. The burly man stepped outside the cave to retrieve the rest of the firewood and fell knee-deep into a hole, twisting his ankle and knee. He struggled to free himself. A searing pain shot through his leg when he tried to stand, but he had to get out of the cold wind.

Oki sat in the snow, pushing and pulling himself backward to make his way into the cave. He froze when he heard the sound of something monstrous in size tromping through the woods. The presence made him uneasy. He clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth to summon his companions. Two dogs emerged from the cave and grabbed him by his shoulders, pulling him inside the cave. He drew in a deep breath and pulled himself up to rest his back against the cave’s wall. Desna, he called in a hushed voice. Her ears perked up, and he nodded at the opening of the cave. The lead dog rose and tugged at the pine branch until it fully covered the hole and kept out the wind. He lowered his outstretched hand and the dogs hushed. He could hear it as it moved through the forest. Its large shadow passed over the cave, and the crew remained silent until it had moved past their humble shelter and could no longer be heard.

Once the menacing shadow disappeared, he scooted over to the pile of wood and arranged it in a neat stack. Oki took two small stones out of his pocket and struck them together over the kindling several times until he had built a warm fire in the middle of the dogs. He reached under his thick furs and retrieved a small bag of bread scraps he kept near his chest. He gave each dog a piece of bread, saving only a small bite for himself. The dogs licked their lips before curling up together around one side of the fire. Oki rubbed his hands together over the fire before he noticed Desna, his lead dog. She stood near the pine branch keeping watch as the other six dogs rested. Desna, the tired man whispered to his faithful companion. Asu. Rest now. All is well. She took one last look through the pine needles before she stretched out her legs. She plopped down near the cave’s opening and rested her head on her front paws. Her ears twitched, still mindful of the sounds echoing through the forest.

Oki let out a long sigh as he struggled to find a comfortable way to sleep. He could feel the swelling and stiffness in his leg, and he knew he wouldn’t be able to walk in the morning. He studied the cave, knowing this would be their home for the next few days. The fire’s flame was getting smaller and smaller, so he placed the rest of the wood on top of the glowing embers. That would be the last of the wood. He wouldn’t be able to hunt for food or gather firewood. They were in for a long wait, and he worried the dogs might not have the strength to pull the sled after going more than a day or two without food. He worried more about the condition of his team than he did his own well-being.

Desna noticed